


Judgment

by fatalchild



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Wordcount: 100-1.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-16
Updated: 2012-11-16
Packaged: 2017-11-18 19:44:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/564594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fatalchild/pseuds/fatalchild
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the end of days, and Michael anticipates that there will be a reward for his faithfulness. He might be wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Judgment

Even broken and bloodied, Lucifer is the most beautiful thing Michael has ever seen. The agonizingly brilliant grace shines beneath the bruised, blood-stained flesh, flickers behind the vacant, glassy eyes. They light up with fear, quickly cooling to pained resignation. Lucifer doesn't want to die-- more than that, he's afraid of dying, in so many ways. His pale lips part and tremble with the effort of speaking. He struggles, chokes out blood, manages only a single word: "Brother."

For Michael, Lucifer's death is briefly painful, ultimately inconsequential. Father has promised him Paradise, and there could be no Paradise without Lucifer. This is a test, a horrible task to prove his loyalty and devotion, and when he passes, his great reward will finally be bestowed upon him. Sword in hand, the Prince of Heaven will cleanse the Earth with fire. The faithful will be saved and evil obliterated. Then Michael will stand atop it all, the pinnacle of Heavenly virtue, and God will reward his most loyal son by returning his beloved, radiant little brother.

Of course, Michael does not speak of this. It is a secret he must keep, even as he watches the light going out in Lucifer's eyes. Hushing him gently, Michael brushes the blood-matted hair away from the sickly pale face. Lucifer's expression twists with pain and betrayal. He suffers, and yet... Michael smiles. It is intended as a tender, silent reassurance, but if Lucifer finds comfort, his eyes do not show it. Still, he never looks away from his elder brother's face. The first thing he ever saw will also be the last. Michael cradles Lucifer in his arms until the tremors stop, until Lucifer sighs his last breath and departs with one final, beautiful burst of light.

The skies split apart, Michael's power at its height. Many are saved. Many more are not. The faithful rejoice, singing of his victory, and Heaven descends to Earth. But Michael does not rejoice, not yet. The world is hollow and cold, even as he rebuilds it to near perfection. His work is long and grueling, but at last, it is the end.  
The silence is infinite. Michael tilts his face upwards, and he waits. He waits for Father's approval. He waits for his reward, Lucifer's rebirth. He returns to the broken vessel, resting amid the vast sprawl of immense, ashen wings. Lucifer is cold, quiet, gone. Still, Michael waits.

Time loses all meaning. He lives within an endless night. The darkness does not clear. The Morning Star does not rise. The memories of his brother haunt Michael's every thought, and the ache of loss festers within him, twisting and corrupting his very core. He feels fear and pain and rage. For the first time, Michael feels doubt. It seems an eternity passes. Lucifer never returns. Michael's agony erupts from within him and washes across the world. This is not Paradise. There can be no Paradise without Lucifer. It is a false construct, a hideous lie, and Michael tears it down, screaming. But even this does not bring his little brother back, and he is left in the decaying ruins of his once glorious dream-- alone. Now, he waits once more. He waits for Father to come, waits to be cast down, perhaps to join his brother in death, waits for retribution for putting out the most beautiful light in creation.

Father never comes. Michael remains, desolate and abandoned, forever. An eternity of solitude is his final judgment.


End file.
